Carolina Panthers QB Bryce Young Interview

It's completely a coincidence that we're playing Keisha Cole's Love as we welcome Bryce Young to the show. It's totally not because this was the song he sang in front of the entire team at the rookie show. That's not it.

But since we are playing it, let's start here as Bryce Young joins the show. Have you ever done a karaoke night out? Because that seems like your song. Not like a formal karaoke night.

I don't think I've ever attended one of those. But you know, just a great song. Nothing more than that. But thank you for having me on.

I really appreciate it. Bryce Young with us on WSJS. This might sound like a shot to everyone listening in the audience, but I think you'll understand what I mean. Publicly, Bryce, you're kind of boring. But in the way that Drew Brees was boring, in the way that Tom Brady was, you know what to say, you know how to say it.

TMZ isn't finding you out at the club late at night. You're boring in the best kinds of ways. In terms of how you handle yourself day to day, who's been a role model for you or another athlete that had some advice that really resonated? Yeah, I think really my biggest role model has just been my father. Just the way that he's handled himself, the outlooks he's had on life. We share a lot of kind of similarities and just how we operate him.

You know, kind of just the stuff we're both into. So I think that that's definitely been the biggest, definitely been the biggest influence and the biggest, he's been the biggest role model in my life for sure. But this isn't the first time you've been like in the spotlight. You were the number one high school player. You were Alabama playing quarterback, and then you became the number one pick. So at what point did you really start to prepare for the off-field part of the job of being quarterback, such as doing interviews like this?

Because unless you're a very good actor, Bryce, you seem very comfortable doing it. Yeah, I think it's something that happens gradually, honestly. I don't think it was something that was big, that it was like a big sit down and talk about this or talk about that. But, you know, gradually just throughout the progression in the sport, you know, you start getting, you know, from your first interview in like high school, like, you know, recruiting or whatever. And then, you know, obviously it progresses to more and more stuff. And then college, you know, you get more immediate things. And, you know, again, I think it's more of a progression and, you know, I think it's just, you know, I just look at these kind of conversations.

You know, I try not to dig too deep or look deeper in the service, but, you know, I try to be honest and answer stuff, you know, the way I know how. And again, gradually just, you know, throughout experience, you get probably more and more comfortable. Does it feel like a bigger jump for you in exposure or how has being the quarterback at Alabama prepared you for the position you're in now? Yeah, you know, I think it's definitely a gradual step.

I think that it definitely helps with the preparation of that. You know, again, obviously it's a different level and there's a lot of different factors that come into play at this level and being a member of the Panthers organization. But, you know, with that being said, you know, there definitely are similarities and things that prepare you for that, you know, and I think, again, I think for me in my life, it was a gradual step and, you know, I think just, it felt like a natural progression as far as those things go. And, you know, for me, honestly, the outside stuff, you know, I'm big on controlling what I can control. So the outside stuff of expectations and, you know, how you're interpreted or received or, you know, the stuff that's, you know, the stuff you can't control, I really try not to put too much thought into. So, you know, my perception isn't something that has been, I feel like much for me to wrap my head around because it's not really something I think about a lot. It's just, you know, I don't really think about it all. It's just trying to figure out how it can be the best version myself, how I can show up every day and learn from what's on tape and grow and all that stuff I can't control. So that's really all I think about.

Bryce Young with us on WSJS. Bryce, be honest with me, did you feel any of those three hits you took on Sunday? Did you feel any of that the next day? Nothing.

It wasn't anything, you know, severe, anything at all, really. Again, that's part of the job description. It's, you know, it's always going to be a part of playing that quarterback position and, you know, it's something that I've always had. And again, I'm new to the NFL.

You know, I haven't played against, you know, that was my first, you know, time playing against, you know, NFL, another NFL team. So, of course, there's that. But, you know, at the same time, again, you know, it's part of the job. You know, there's no ifs, ands, or buts about it, you know. You know, when you play quarterback, of course, part of it is taking it and, you know, it's something that, again, just felt like a gradual next step. But, you know, as far as that, it wasn't anything that, you know, it felt like a normal and, you know, it wasn't even a full game, but it felt kind of like how you would playing a couple series. But, you know, nothing really at all, honestly. And again, that's, you know, I only played, you know, a couple of series and, you know, it's a couple of plays, a couple of hits. But again, that's the job description. That's what we all go through as quarterbacks.

So, you know, we all, you know, have that struggle and we all face the same things. You weren't the only top pick out of Alabama that was drafted to the city of Charlotte this year. The Hornets selected Brandon Miller number two a couple of months after you were taken number one. Have you guys connected yet in Charlotte at all? Or what type of relationship did you have, if any, back in Tuscaloosa?

Yeah. Yeah, actually, I was, I just talked to him about a week, a couple of weeks ago and, you know, he just, he called me all year. I've talked to him a couple of times since I've been here and since he's been here.

And I was in, he called me and, you know, now that I'm just getting back to Charlotte, when I was in Spartanburg, you know, he's been down here too. So yeah, we, we definitely talked a lot and, you know, honestly, I'm a big basketball fan. So really, I'm, you know, I'm a huge fan of his game. You know, I really, we love the way he plays and carries himself.

And it was really, it was really cool being able to watch that, you know, up close, you know, last year I was there. But yeah, also he's a really good dude, really cool, cool dude. I'm really excited to watch his future and, you know, for him as well.

So yeah, now he's, he's a great guy and I'm super excited for him as well. A couple of important things on the way out very quickly. Since you're a Bojangles spokesman, I've got to give you a pro tip. There's a secret menu item you need to know about. Are you ready for this, Bryce?

Talk to me. Okay. So you like the Bo Berry biscuit, right? Right. Every time you go ask for a sausage Bo Berry biscuit, which sounds exactly like it sounds sausage inside a Bo Berry biscuit.

And you can either get the icing on the inside or on the outside. Hmm, man. Well, I know what I'm, I know what I'm ordering next time. You just, you just for sure. I definitely got to check that out.

Yeah. And last thing for you, our producer has seen none of the good movies. Like he watched Remember the Titans two weeks ago for the first time. He, he didn't see Get Out until we made him watch it tonight. He's watching Dodge ball, like what movie growing up or two, did you see more than any other Bryce young? Oh, that's a good question. That's a really good question. I'll say, I will say not really like as a kid, but just throughout like just throughout life, I feel like Remember the Titans, some I've been forced to watch a lot just cause that's like the generic like football movie, like every team, every football event, if there's ever like a, you know, there's ever like a, you know, water makes you weak, water makes you weak.

What it is left side, strong side. Yeah, no, I, for sure. I've, I've definitely seen that movie a lot of times and maybe once I mean, it's a good movie, don't get me wrong, but maybe once, like the first time I watched it, I probably like my, my like parents probably watched it and like I actually consciously turned it on the rest of the time. They were all just played for some football for some football reasons.

So because of that, that's probably the movie I've watched the most. That's a good answer. Bryce young. Welcome to the Carolinas. I'm glad you were able to, you know, get out on the field and, you know, sling it a little bit this past week and we'll see you at against the Giants on Friday. Thanks for making the time and the try it. For sure. Thanks for having me on. I appreciate you.